Heating and cooling system for vehicle seat

ABSTRACT

A heating and cooling system for a vehicle seat, may include a heat exchanger cooling or heating air before the air is introduced into the seat, and a blower blowing air toward the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger includes a positive temperature coefficient element assembly provided inside a housing of the heat exchanger to heat the air supplied from the blower, and wherein the positive temperature coefficient element assembly operates in a case of heating the seat but does not operate in a case of cooling the seat.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent ApplicationsNumber 10-2009-0088222 filed on Sep. 17, 2009 and 10-2010-0050013 filedon May 28, 2010 the entire contents of which applications areincorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heating and cooling system for avehicle seat, and more particularly, to one which can enhance powerefficiency by efficiently cooling and heating the vehicle seat.

2. Description of Related Art

In general, a vehicle is equipped with an air-conditioning systemincluding a cooler and a heater. The air-conditioning system serves tocontrol the temperature inside the vehicle. However, theair-conditioning system does not have a function of controlling thetemperature of a vehicle seat. In the summer, even if an occupantsitting on a vehicle seat lowers the temperature inside the vehicle byoperating the cooler, the seat is relatively slowly cooled down. Inaddition, the seat is continuously warmed by the body heat of theoccupant. Then, the occupant may sweat at the buttocks and the back,which would otherwise develop into heat rashes.

In the winter, even if the occupant sitting on the vehicle seat raisesthe temperature inside the vehicle by operating the heater, the occupantmay feel chilly or cold at the buttocks or back since the seat hasstayed cold for a long time before the heater is operated.

Accordingly, these days, a seat-dedicated heating and cooling system isadditionally provided, which is designed to control the temperature ofthe seat. In particular, among such systems, which control both heatingand cooling, most prominent is the technology that employs athermoelectric element based on Peltier effect as a heat source.

In a conventional heating and cooling system for a vehicle seat using athermoelectric element as a heat source, the vehicle seat has a porousstructure or air passages through which air can freely flow. The heatingand cooling system controls the temperature of the seat by blowing air,heated or cooled by the thermoelectric element, to the seat.

The heating and cooling system is configured to heat or cool air usingonly the thermoelectric element. However, the problem of thethermoelectric element is that the efficiency of a heating part is about50% of that of a cooling part under the same power supply conditions.

The problem is not significant in the case of cooling the seat using thethermoelectric element. However, in the case of heating the seat, thelow efficiency of the heating part of the thermoelectric elementincreases power consumption, thereby lowering the efficiency of theheating and cooling system.

The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section isonly for enhancement of understanding of the general background of theinvention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form ofsuggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to aperson skilled in the art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various aspects of the present invention are directed to provide aheating and cooling system for a vehicle seat, in which can ensureimprovement in power efficiency and heating performance in the case ofheating the vehicle seat.

In an aspect of the present invention, the heating and cooling systemfor a vehicle seat, may include a heat exchanger cooling or heating airbefore the air is introduced into the seat, and a blower blowing airtoward the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger includes apositive temperature coefficient element assembly provided inside ahousing of the heat exchanger to heat the air supplied from the blower,and wherein the positive temperature coefficient element assemblyoperates in a case of heating the seat but does not operate in a case ofcooling the seat.

The heat exchanger and the blower may be connected to each other by aduct, and the heat exchanger is detachably attached to the duct.

The housing may be an integral housing enclosing the blower and the heatexchanger therein, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed in an outputport of the integral housing and the positive temperature coefficientelement assembly and the Peltier element assembly of the heat exchangerare aligned in series along a longitudinal direction of the output port,and wherein one or more of the integral housings are provided in one ormore of a sitting part and a back of the seat.

The heating and cooling system may include two of the heat exchangerscoupled to both ends of the blower, wherein one or more of the heatexchangers are provided in one or more of a sitting part and a back ofthe seat.

In another aspect of the present invention, the heating and coolingsystem for a vehicle seat, may include a heat exchanger cooling orheating air before the air is introduced into the seat, and a blowerblowing air toward the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchangerincludes: a positive temperature coefficient element assembly providedinside a housing of the heat exchanger to heat the air supplied from theblower, and a Peltier element assembly provided adjacent to the positivetemperature coefficient element assembly to cool or heat air suppliedfrom the blower, wherein the positive temperature coefficient elementassembly operates in a case of heating the seat, and the Peltier elementassembly operates in a case of cooling or heating the seat.

The housing of the heat exchanger may have a seat inlet passage, throughwhich cooled or heated air in the housing is introduced toward the seat,and an outlet passage, through which air in the housing is exhaustedfrom the seat, wherein the housing further has a partition forming aboundary between the seat inlet passage and the outlet passage, and thePeltier element assembly is arranged to extend from the partition towardan entrance of the housing to guide air into the seat inlet passage andthe outlet passage respectively.

The housing may further have an entrance-side partition provided in anentrance area of the housing and extending from the Peltier elementassembly toward the entrance to prevent air heat-controlled by thePeltier element assembly and air heat-controlled by the Peltier elementassembly from being mixed with each other, and the positive temperaturecoefficient element assembly is arranged along one lateral side of theentrance-side partition and is located in a passage leading to the seatinlet passage.

The positive temperature coefficient element assembly may be locatedmore adjacent to the blower than the Peltier element assembly is, andthe positive temperature coefficient element assembly selectivelyoperates to evaporate condensed water, which is produced due to thePeltier element assembly, in case of cooling the seat.

The positive temperature coefficient element assembly may be arranged inseries from the Peltier element assembly toward the entrance of thehousing and the heating and cooling system may further include heat sinkfins attached to one lateral side of the Peltier element assembly, whichfaces the seat inlet passage.

The heating and cooling system may further include heat sink finsattached to both sides of the Peltier element assembly and the positivetemperature coefficient element assembly.

The eat exchanger and the blower may be connected to each other by aduct, and the heat exchanger is detachably attached to the duct.

The housing may be an integral housing enclosing the blower and the heatexchanger therein, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed in an outputport of the integral housing and the positive temperature coefficientelement assembly and the Peltier element assembly of the heat exchangerare aligned in series along a longitudinal direction of the output port,and wherein one or more of the integral housings are provided in one ormore of a sitting part and a back of the seat.

The heating and cooling system may include two of the heat exchangerscoupled to both ends of the blower, wherein one or more of the heatexchangers are provided in one or more of a sitting part and a back ofthe seat.

According to various aspects of the present invention as set forthabove, the heating and cooling system for a vehicle seat has thefollowing effects:

First, since the seat is heated using the PTC element having excellentheating performance, the efficiency of the heater can be raised whencompared to the conventional heating using the Peltier element.Accordingly, the heating of the vehicle seat and the power efficiencycan be improved.

Second, since the heating is performed using the PTC element, it is notnecessary to convert the direction of a current supplied to the Peltierelement unlike the related art. As a result, the circuit configurationis simplified.

The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other featuresand advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in moredetail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, andthe following Detailed Description of the Invention, which togetherserve to explain certain principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration view showing an exemplary heatingand cooling system for a vehicle seat of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing important parts of the exemplaryheating and cooling system for a vehicle seat shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing a heat exchanger inaccordance with an exemplary heating and cooling system for a vehicleseat of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing a heat exchanger inaccordance with an exemplary heating and cooling system for a vehicleseat of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing a heat exchanger inaccordance with an exemplary heating and cooling system for a vehicleseat of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view showing a heat exchanger inaccordance with an exemplary heating and cooling system for a vehicleseat of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view showing a heat exchanger inaccordance with an exemplary heating and cooling system for a vehicleseat of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view showing a sixth exemplaryembodiment of the heating and cooling system for a vehicle seat of theinvention; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing important parts of the heating andcooling system for the vehicle seat shown in FIG. 8.

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarilyto scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of variousfeatures illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. Thespecific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein,including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations,and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intendedapplication and use environment.

In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent partsof the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of thepresent invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) willbe described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will beunderstood that present description is not intended to limit theinvention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, theinvention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplaryembodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalentsand other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined by the appended claims. Above all, referenceshould be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals andsigns are used throughout the different drawings to designate the sameor similar components. In the following description of the presentinvention, a detailed description of known functions and componentsincorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matterof the present invention rather unclear.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration view showing a heating and coolingsystem for a vehicle seat of the present invention, FIG. 2 is aperspective view showing important parts of the heating and coolingsystem for a vehicle seat shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a sidecross-sectional view showing a heat exchanger in accordance with a firstexemplary embodiment of the heating and cooling system for a vehicleseat of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the heating and cooling system 1 for a vehicle seatof the present exemplary embodiment is provided in the rear side of avehicle seat S, and supplies air into the seat S by heating or coolingit. The seat S includes a sitting part S1 and a back S2. The sittingpart S1 and the back S2 has a number of pores such that air, suppliedfrom the heating and seating system 1, can uniformly spread across theseat S.

The heating and cooling system 1 for a vehicle seat includes two heatexchangers 10 and 20, a blower 30, and ducts 41 and 42. The heatexchanger 10 is provided inside the rear side of the back S2 of the seatS, and the heat exchanger 20 is provided inside the rear side of thesitting part S1 of the seat S. The heat exchangers 10 and 20 heat orcool air, which is directed toward the pores of the seat S. The blower30 blows air toward the heat exchangers 10 and 20. The ducts 41 and 42connect the blower 30 with the heat exchangers 10 and 20, respectively.

The heat exchanger 10 and 20 perform heat exchange in order to convertair, supplied from the blower 30, is into cold or warm air.

More in detail, the heat exchangers 10 and 20 include the first heatexchanger 10, which is provided in the rear side of the back S2 tosupply cold or warm air to the back S2, and the second heat exchanger20, which is provided in the rear side of the sitting part S1 to supplycold or warm air to the sitting part S1.

The heat exchangers 10 and 20 are connected to the blower 30 by thefirst duct 41 and the second duct 42, respectively. The ducts 41 and 42serve as passages that deliver air, blown by the blower 30, to the heatexchangers 10 and 20, respectively. The ducts 41 and 42 and the heatexchangers 10 and 20 can be provided so as to be attachable to anddetachable from each other.

The blower 30 supplies wind to the heat exchangers 10 and 20 through theducts 41 and 42 by taking in air from outside. A fan, which operateswhen electric power is supplied, is provided inside the blower 30 togenerate a flow of air. For this, an air intake port, from which air isintroduced from outside, can be formed in one side of the blower 30, andan air blowing port communicating with the respective ducts 41 and 42can be formed in the other side of the blower 30.

The first heat exchanger 10 is connected with the first duct 41 tosupply wind, blown from the blower 30, to the back S2 by heating orcooling it. For this, a heater and a cooler are provided inside thefirst heat exchanger 10 in order to heat and cool air, which is suppliedfrom the blower 30.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first heat exchanger 10 includes a housing 11defining the outline of the first heat exchanger 10, a seat inletpassage A through which air heat-exchanged inside the housing 11 isintroduced into the back S2 of the seat S, and an outlet passage Bthrough which air is exhausted from the seat S.

The seat inlet passage A forms one passage inside the housing 11, andthe distal end of the passage defines a seat inlet port 11 a, throughwhich air is supplied into the pores of the seat S.

The outlet passage B is located adjacent to the seat inlet passage A,forming a passage through which air is exhausted. The distal end of theoutlet passage B defines an outlet port 11 b. Another connector such asa duct can be connected to the outlet port 11 b such that air exhaustedthrough the outlet port 11 b does not flow back into the seat S.

The second heat exchanger 20 is for introducing air, which is heated orcooled down, into the sitting part S1 of the seat S. Except for thisfeature, the second heat exchanger 20 has substantially the samefunction and structure as the first heat exchanger 10.

The most important feature of the present invention is that the heaterand the cooler are provided in the first heat exchanger 10 and in thesecond heat exchanger 20, respectively, in order to heat and cool air tobe supplied into the seat S. A Peltier element 13 is used as a maincooler, and a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) element 16 is usedas a heater.

As is well known in the art, when a current is passed around the Peltierelement, one side is heated and the other side is cooled. The side to beheated is changed according to the direction of the current applied.

Accordingly, when the current is supplied to the Peltier element 13 ofthe present exemplary embodiment, one side of the Peltier element 13,which is heated, and one group of heat sink fins 14 adjacent theretoserve as a heater. At the same time, the other side of the Peltierelement 13, which is cooled, and the other group of the heat sink fins14 adjacent thereto serve as a cooler.

The PTC element is a semiconductor element that experiences a rapidincrease in electrical resistance at a temperature equal to or more thanCurie temperature. The PTC element has a self-temperature controlfunction that maintains a constant heating temperature regardless ofsurrounding temperature when a voltage is applied.

The heat sink fins 14 are attached to both sides of the Peltier element13 in a heat conductive structure, thereby constructing a Peltierelement assembly 12. The heat sink fins 14 are constructed to maximizethe contact area between heat or cold air created by the Peltier element13 and air flowing inside the heat exchanger 10.

In addition, heat sink fins 17 are also attached to both sides of thePTC element 16, thereby producing a PTC element assembly 15. The heatsink fins 17 raise the heat exchange efficiency between heat generatedby the PCT element 16 and air flowing inside the heat exchanger 10.

Although the heat sink fins 14 and 17 are shaped as corrugated plates,they can be modified into fin shapes. The heat sink fins 14 and 17 canhave any shape that allows air to come into contact with the heat sinkfins 14 and 17 while flowing inside the heat exchanger 10.

The housing 11 also has a partition 11 d defining the boundary betweenthe seat inlet passage A and the outlet passage B, and the Peltierelement 13 extends in the longitudinal direction of the partition 11 d.Specifically, the Peltier element 13 is oriented such that one sidefaces the seat inlet passage A and the other side faces the outletpassage B. Accordingly, the opposite sides of the Peltier element 13form the boundary of the seat inlet passage A and the boundary of theoutlet passage B.

An entrance-side partition 11 d, which extends from the Peltier element13, is also provided adjacent to an entrance 11 c of the housing 11. Theentrance-side partition 11 d further separates the seat inlet passage Afrom the outlet passage B so that air heated by the Peltier element 13and air cooled by the Peltier element 13 are not mixed with each otherinside the housing 11.

The PTC element assembly 15 is arranged along one side of theentrance-side partition 11 d and is located inside the seat inletpassage A. Among the two passages A and B in the heat exchanger 10, theseat inlet passage A extends from the area of the entrance 11 c of thehousing 11 to the seat inlet port 11 a or 21 a.

This is because the PTC element assembly 15 generates only heat unlikethe Peltier element assembly 12. Thus, it is not necessary to exhaustair, heated by the PTC element assembly 15, through the outlet port 11 bor 21 b while the seat S is being heated.

When the PTC element assembly 15 is located in the passage A extendingfrom the entrance 11 c of the housing 11 to the seat inlet port 11 a asdescribed above, it is possible to exclusively supply air, heated by thePTC element assembly 15, to the seat S through the seat inlet port 11 a.This, as a result, can raise heating efficiency and power efficiency byreducing heat loss.

Below, a description will be given of the operation of the heating andcooling system for a vehicle seat in accordance with the first exemplaryembodiment of the present invention with reference to theabove-described components.

First, in the case of attempting to supply cold air to the seat S in thesummer, a controller of the vehicle controls the heating and coolingsystem 1 so that the Peltier element 13 operates but the PTC element 16does not operate.

When a current is applied to the Peltier element 13, one side of thePeltier element 13 adjacent to the seat inlet port 11 a is cooled downand the other side of the Peltier element 13 adjacent to the outlet port11 b is heated. At the same time, the heat sink fins 14 in contact withthe Peltier element 13 are cooled or heated according to their positionand perform heat exchange with air, which flows inside the heatexchanger 10.

Air performs heat exchange with the cooler of the Peltier elementassembly 12 while it is flowing along the passage A, which extends fromthe entrance 11 c of the heat exchanger 10 to the seat inlet port 11 a.As a result, cooled air is supplied to the seat S. In contrast, airperforms heat exchange with the heater of the Peltier element assembly12 while it is flowing along the passage B, which extends from theentrance 11 c of the heat exchanger 10 to the outlet port 11 b. As aresult, heated air is exhausted from the seat S through outlet port 11b.

Next, in the case of attempting to supply warm air to the seat S in thewinter, the controller of the vehicle controls the heating and coolingsystem 1 so that the PTC element 16 operates but the Peltier element 13does not operate.

When a current is applied to the PTC element 16, the PTC element 16 isheated and the heat sink fins 17 in contact with the PTC element 16 areheated along with the PTC element 16 so as to perform heat exchange withair introduced into the heat exchanger 10. Since the PTC elementassembly 15 is located in the passage A, which extends from the entranceof the heat exchanger 10 to the seat inlet port 11 a, the PTC elementassembly 15 heats only a portion of air, which is exhausted to the seatinlet port 11 a, when the air is introduced into the heat exchanger 10.In contrast, the remaining portion of the air simply passes through theheat exchanger 10 without heat exchange, and is then exhausted to theoutlet port 11 b.

As such, the Peltier element 13 cools air in the case of attempting tosupply cold air to the seat S, and the PTC element 16 having excellentpower efficiency heats air in the case of attempting to supply warm airto the seat S. This, as a result, makes it possible to improve heatingand cooling efficiency as well as to raise power efficiency.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing a heat exchanger inaccordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the heating and coolingsystem for a vehicle seat of the present invention. The presentexemplary embodiment will be described mainly with reference to theparts different from those of the foregoing embodiment.

Unlike the foregoing embodiment, a heat exchanger 10 a of the presentexemplary embodiment does not include the entrance-side partition 11 d(see FIG. 3), but a PTC element 16 a further extends in the longitudinaldirection of a Peltier element 13. Thus, PTC element 16 a is locatedmore adjacent to an entrance 11 c, that is, the blower 30.

Like the foregoing embodiment, heat sink fins 14 and 17 a are attachedto both sides of the Peltier element 13 and the PTC element 16 a,thereby constructing a Peltier element assembly 12 and a PTC elementassembly 15 a. However, in the present exemplary embodiment, the PTCelement 16 a also forms the boundary between the seat inlet passage Aand the outlet passage B. Accordingly, the PTC element 16 a also acts asthe entrance-side partition 11 c of the foregoing embodiment.

Like the foregoing embodiment, in the case of attempting to supply coldair to the seat S in the summer, the heating and cooling system 1 of thepresent exemplary embodiment is controlled by a controller of thevehicle so as to operate the Peltier element 13 a without operating thePTC element 16 a.

In addition, in the case of attempting to supply warm air to the seat S,the controller of the vehicle controls the heating and cooling system 1so that the PTC element 16 a operates but the Peltier element 13 a doesnot operate.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing a heat exchanger inaccordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the heating and coolingsystem for a vehicle seat of the present invention. The presentexemplary embodiment will be described mainly with reference to theparts different from those of the foregoing second embodiment.

Unlike the foregoing embodiment, in a heat exchanger 10 b of the presentexemplary embodiment, heat sink fins 14 a are attached to one side of aPeltier element 13 a, which faces a seat inlet passage A. However, heatsink fins are not attached to the other side of the Peltier element 13a, which faces an outlet passage B.

According to this configuration, in the case of attempting to supplywarm air to the seat S, a controller of the vehicle controls the heatingand cooling system so that the PTC element 16 a operates but the Peltierelement 13 a does not operate. This, as a result, can prevent heat loss,i.e., heat generated by the PTC element 16 a is transmitted to thePeltier element 13 a, from which the heat is exhausted through theoutlet passage.

Meanwhile, the heat exchangers 10, 10 a, and 10 b of the first to thirdexemplary embodiments can be controlled so that only the Peltier element13, 13 a operates in the case of cooling the seat S but both the Peltierelement 13 and the PTC element 16 a operate in the case of heating theseat S.

In addition, if condensed water is produced due to the Peltier element13 in the case of cooling the seat S, the heat exchanger can becontrolled so that also the PTC element 16 operates to evaporate thecondensed water.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view showing a heat exchanger inaccordance with a fourth exemplary embodiment of the heating and coolingsystem for a vehicle seat of the present invention. The presentexemplary embodiment will be described mainly with reference to theparts different from those of the foregoing embodiments.

Unlike the foregoing embodiments, in a heat exchanger 10 c of thepresent exemplary embodiment, only a seat inlet port 11 a is formed in ahousing 11 but an outlet port is not formed. In addition, although a PTCelement assembly 15 a including a PTC element 16 a and heat sink fins 17a is arranged inside the housing 11, a Peltier element is not provided.

Accordingly, the heating and cooling system of the present exemplaryembodiment is operated differently from those of the foregoingembodiments, i.e., the PTC element 16 is operated in the case of heatingthe seat S, but cooling is performed by operating only the blower 30without operating the PTC element 16 in the case of cooling the seat S.

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view showing a heat exchanger inaccordance with a fifth exemplary embodiment of the heating and coolingsystem for a vehicle seat of the present invention.

Unlike the foregoing embodiments, according to the feature of thepresent exemplary embodiment, an integral housing H, which encloses aheat exchanger and a blower therein, is provided. The integral housing Hmay include an entrance 22 at one side thereof and the positivetemperature coefficient element 15 and the Peltier element 12 may bedisposed in an output port 24 aligned in series along a longitudinaldirection of the output port 24.

As a result, the configuration of the heating and cooling system for avehicle seat is simplified.

In other words, the foregoing embodiments are realized inside onehousing by arranging a blower 30 in the center of the housing and heatexchanging components, including a Peltier element assembly 12 and a PTCelement assembly 15, on both sides of the blower.

As such, according to the heating and cooling system of the presentexemplary embodiment, one simple device can replace complicatedcomponents. Accordingly, the heating and cooling system can be easilyinstalled in and separated from the seat, and the maintenance of theheating and cooling system is made easier. It should be understood thatthe configuration shown in FIG. 7 is only a schematic illustration andthe configurations of the foregoing embodiments can be adopted for theheat exchanger unit of the present exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view showing a sixth exemplaryembodiment of the heating and cooling system for a vehicle seat of theinvention, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing important parts ofthe heating and cooling system for the vehicle seat shown in FIG. 8.

In this embodiment, a heat exchanger 10 includes a duct 27 a, and a heatexchanger 20 includes a duct 27 b. The ducts 27 a and 27 b introduceair, which is heated or cooled, to the seat. In addition, a PTC elementassembly 15 a, which heats air, is mounted on each of the heatexchangers 10 and 20.

As shown in FIG. 9, referring to the first heat exchanger 10 by way ofexample, a housing 110 has an air inlet port 11 a, but an air outletport is not provided.

In addition, a PTC element assembly 15 a, which includes a PTC element16 a and heat sink fins 17 a, is disposed inside the housing 11.However, a Peltier element is not provided inside the housing 11.

In addition, a blower 30 includes an integral housing H communicatingwith the ducts 27 a and 27 b, a blower fan 31 mounted inside the centralportion of the integral housing H, and Peltier element assemblies 12mounted inside the integral housing H. The Peltier element assemblies 12are provided in the portions of the integral housing H that areconnected to the ducts 27 a and 27 b.

Here, as in the foregoing exemplary embodiments, each of the Peltierelement assemblies 12 can include a Peltier element (not shown) and heatsink fins (not shown) attached to one or both sides of the Peltierelement.

In this exemplary embodiment, the PTC element 16 a operates when theseat S is heated (or warmed), whereas the Peltier element operates whenthe seat S is cooled. Accordingly, in this exemplary embodiment, it ispossible to immediately provide warm air to the seat S using the PTCelements 16 a, located on the distal ends of the ducts 27 a and 27 b,during the heating. These characteristics of this exemplary embodimentcan advantageously prevent hot air, which is supplied from the PTCelement inside the integral housing H, from making the duct flexible.Otherwise, in the structure of the foregoing embodiment shown in FIG. 7,the hot air might make the duct flexible when it flows through the duct.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention have been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the aboveteachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in orderto explain certain principles of the invention and their practicalapplication, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make andutilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as wellas various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended thatthe scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto andtheir equivalents.

1. A heating and cooling system for a vehicle seat, comprising: a heatexchanger cooling or heating air before the air is introduced into theseat; and a blower blowing air toward the heat exchanger, wherein theheat exchanger includes a positive temperature coefficient elementassembly provided inside a housing of the heat exchanger to heat the airsupplied from the blower, and wherein the positive temperaturecoefficient element assembly operates in a case of heating the seat butdoes not operate in a case of cooling the seat.
 2. The heating andcooling system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the heat exchangerand the blower are connected to each other by a duct, and the heatexchanger is detachably attached to the duct.
 3. The heating and coolingsystem in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing is an integralhousing enclosing the blower and the heat exchanger therein, wherein theheat exchanger is disposed in an output port of the integral housing andthe positive temperature coefficient element assembly and the Peltierelement assembly of the heat exchanger are aligned in series along alongitudinal direction of the output port, and wherein one or more ofthe integral housings are provided in one or more of a sitting part anda back of the seat.
 4. The heating and cooling system in accordance withclaim 1, comprising two of the heat exchangers coupled to both ends ofthe blower, wherein one or more of the heat exchangers are provided inone or more of a sitting part and a back of the seat.
 5. A heating andcooling system for a vehicle seat, comprising: a heat exchanger coolingor heating air before the air is introduced into the seat; and a blowerblowing air toward the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchangerincludes: a positive temperature coefficient element assembly providedinside a housing of the heat exchanger to heat the air supplied from theblower; and a Peltier element assembly provided adjacent to the positivetemperature coefficient element assembly to cool or heat air suppliedfrom the blower, wherein the positive temperature coefficient elementassembly operates in a case of heating the seat, and the Peltier elementassembly operates in a case of cooling or heating the seat.
 6. Theheating and cooling system in accordance with claim 5, wherein thehousing of the heat exchanger has a seat inlet passage, through whichcooled or heated air in the housing is introduced toward the seat, andan outlet passage, through which air in the housing is exhausted fromthe seat.
 7. The heating and cooling system in accordance with claim 6,wherein the housing further has a partition forming a boundary betweenthe seat inlet passage and the outlet passage, and the Peltier elementassembly is arranged to extend from the partition toward an entrance ofthe housing to guide air into the seat inlet passage and the outletpassage respectively.
 8. The heating and cooling system in accordancewith claim 7, wherein the housing further has an entrance-side partitionprovided in an entrance area of the housing and extending from thePeltier element assembly toward the entrance to prevent airheat-controlled by the Peltier element assembly and air heat-controlledby the Peltier element assembly from being mixed with each other, andthe positive temperature coefficient element assembly is arranged alongone lateral side of the entrance-side partition and is located in apassage leading to the seat inlet passage.
 9. The heating and coolingsystem in accordance with claim 6, wherein the positive temperaturecoefficient element assembly is located more adjacent to the blower thanthe Peltier element assembly is, and the positive temperaturecoefficient element assembly selectively operates to evaporate condensedwater, which is produced due to the Peltier element assembly, in case ofcooling the seat.
 10. The heating and cooling system in accordance withclaim 5, wherein the positive temperature coefficient element assemblyis arranged in series from the Peltier element assembly toward theentrance of the housing.
 11. The heating and cooling system inaccordance with claim 10, further comprising heat sink fins attached toone lateral side of the Peltier element assembly, which faces the seatinlet passage.
 12. The heating and cooling system in accordance withclaim 5, further comprising heat sink fins attached to both sides of thePeltier element assembly and the positive temperature coefficientelement assembly.
 13. The heating and cooling system in accordance withclaim 5, wherein the heat exchanger and the blower are connected to eachother by a duct, and the heat exchanger is detachably attached to theduct.
 14. The heating and cooling system in accordance with claim 5,wherein the housing is an integral housing enclosing the blower and theheat exchanger therein, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed in anoutput port of the integral housing and the positive temperaturecoefficient element assembly and the Peltier element assembly of theheat exchanger are aligned in series along a longitudinal direction ofthe output port, and wherein one or more of the integral housings areprovided in one or more of a sitting part and a back of the seat. 15.The heating and cooling system in accordance with claim 5, comprisingtwo of the heat exchangers coupled to both ends of the blower, whereinone or more of the heat exchangers are provided in one or more of asitting part and a back of the seat.
 16. The heating and cooling systemin accordance with claim 6, further comprising heat sink fins attachedto the Peltier element assembly, wherein the heat sink fins adjacent tothe outlet passage are larger than the heat sink fins adjacent to theseat inlet passage in order to enhance heat dissipation from the seat.17. A heating and cooling system for a vehicle seat, comprising: a heatexchanger cooling or heating air before the air is introduced into theseat, wherein the heat exchanger has a duct that introduces the air intothe seat; a blower including an integral housing communicating with theducts and a blower fan mounted inside the integral housing, wherein theblower fan blows air toward the heat exchanger; a positive temperaturecoefficient element provided inside the heat exchanger to heat airsupplied from the blower; and a Peltier element mounted inside theintegral housing of the blower, wherein the positive temperaturecoefficient element operates when the seat is heated, and the Peltierelement operates when the seat is cooled.